What are the causes of headaches? Analysis of different people's headache symptoms
Headache is a common symptom, no matter children, women, men or the elderly will have headaches at times, so what are the causes of these headaches? Below I will introduce you to what causes headaches in different groups of people, and introduce how to treat headaches and how prevention should be carried out, friends with headache symptoms may wish to learn more, it will be very helpful to you.
Contents
1 、 What is the cause of headache 2 、 What is the cause of headache during menstruation
3 、 What is the cause of headache in pregnant women 4 、 What is the cause of headache after childbirth
5 、 What is the cause of headache in children 6 、 What is the cause of headache in children
7 、 What is the cause of headache in women 8 、 What is the cause of headache in the elderly
What are the causes of headache
There are numerous causes of headaches, which can be broadly divided into two categories: primary and secondary. The former cannot be attributed to an exact cause, and can also be called idiopathic headache, such as migraine and tension-type headache; the latter cause can involve various intracranial pathologies such as cerebrovascular disease, intracranial infection, cranial trauma, systemic diseases such as fever, internal environmental disorders and abuse of psychoactive drugs. The details are as follows.
Infection
Febrile illnesses caused by cranial infections or acute infections in other body systems. Cranial infections that often cause headache such as meningitis, meningoencephalitis, encephalitis, brain abscess, intracranial parasitic infections (e.g.cysticercus, encapsulated worms), etc. Acute infections such as influenza, pneumonia and other diseases.
Vascular lesions
Subarachnoid space hemorrhage, cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral thrombosis, cerebral embolism, hypertensive encephalopathy, cerebral blood supply deficiency, cerebrovascular malformation, etc.
Occupational lesions
Headache caused by increased intracranial pressure due to cranial tumor, intracranial metastatic cancer, inflammatory demyelinating pseudotumor, etc.
Cephalofacial and cervical neuropathy
Head and facial innervation neuralgia: e.g. Trigeminal nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve and occipital neuralgia. Headache caused by cephalofacial neurological disorders such as eye, ear, nose and dental diseases. Cervical spondylosis and other neck disorders trigger head and neck pain.
Systemic diseases of the whole body
Headache caused by hypertension, anemia, pulmonary encephalopathy, heat stroke, etc.
Cranio-cerebral trauma
Such as concussion, brain contusion, subdural hematoma, intracranial hematoma, and sequelae of traumatic brain injury.
Poison and drug poisoning
Poisoning by alcohol, carbon monoxide, organophosphorus, drugs (such as belladonna and salicylic acid), etc.
Internal environmental disorders and mental factors
Headaches during menstruation and menopause. Neurotic somatization disorder and hysterical headache.
Other
Such as migraine, cluster headache (histamine headache), headache type epilepsy.
What causes headaches during menstruation
Why is the menstrual cycle associated with headaches? Clinical studies suggest that it may be related to changes in the concentration of estrol (a female hormone) in the serum. Due to the physiological characteristics of women, around the time of menstruation, the concentration of estradiol in the serum decreases, causing the intracranial and extracranial vessels and uterine vessels to be more sensitive to certain factors such as 5-hydroxytryptamine, thus causing changes in vascular tone and causing headaches to occur in some patients who are sensitive to this.
There is also a possibility that estrogen (including estradiol) may stimulate the secretion of prostaglandins, either directly or indirectly, by stimulating the secretion of lactogen, which acts on blood vessels and causes vasoconstriction and vasodilation.
Clinical symptoms
Menstrual headaches are migraine headaches that occur during menstruation. Migraines appear as a throbbing pain on one side of the head for about a few minutes to an hour or so and gradually increase in intensity until nausea and vomiting occur and the sensation improves The headache is relieved within a quiet, dark environment or after sleep. The headache may be accompanied by neurological and mental dysfunction before or during the onset of the headache. According to studies, patients with migraines are more likely than normal to have localized brain damage, which can lead to stroke. The more migraines they have, the greater the area of the brain that will be damaged.
The diagnosis is not difficult with a long history of recurrent headaches, with all normal interstitial periods, a normal physical examination and a family history of migraine. Oculomotor palsy can be caused by aneurysms, and arteriovenous malformations can also be associated with migraine, and a cranial CT scan or cerebral angiography should be performed to clarify the diagnosis. Complex migraine is often caused by organic diseases, and neuroimaging should be performed. Occipital or temporal lobe tumors may also present with visual field defects or other visual symptoms initially, but as the disease progresses, symptoms of increased intracranial pressure may eventually appear. The superficial temporal artery or occipital artery is thickened like a rope, and the pulsation is significantly weakened or absent.
Major features
Most patients with classic migraine have periodic episodes, most often in women. Most patients may experience blurred vision, flashes of light, hallucinations, blind spots, eye swelling, emotional instability, and almost all patients are photophobic, and a few minutes later an one-sided headache develops, mostly in the front of the head, temporal region, around the eyes, and temples. The headache can be limited to a certain area or extend to the whole half of the side. When the headache is severe, there may be a feeling of pulsating blood vessels or a feeling of jumping out of the eyes. The pain usually peaks in 1 to 2 hours and lasts for 4 to 6 hours or more than 10 hours, and in severe cases, it can last for several days, making the headache very painful.
Some patients have mental disorder, fatigue, yawning, loss of appetite and general discomfort before the onset of migraine. The headache is slowly aggravated, and the pain may be on one or both sides, or the whole head, and the pain is less severe than typical migraine.
Cluster migraines are characterized by the absence of aura symptoms and the timing of each attack is approximately the same. The headache often starts suddenly, lasts 30 to 120 minutes, and can occur several times in a day. Clinical manifestations may include swelling of the eyes, tearing, conjunctival congestion, nasal congestion, sweating, and a burning sensation on the painful side of the face, etc. In typical cases, thickened and curved scalp blood vessels are seen.
Migraines also include: familial hemiplegic migraine, abdominal pain migraine, neuropsychiatric migraine, basilar artery migraine, retinal migraine, and menstrual migraine.
What causes headaches in pregnant women
Headaches in early pregnancy may be caused by poor rest and lack of sleep. If headaches occur in the middle and late stages of pregnancy, blood pressure should be monitored promptly. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy mostly occur at 20 weeks of gestation and two weeks after delivery and typically present with hypertension, edema, proteinuria and, in severe cases, convulsions and coma.
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are defined as persistent elevation of blood pressure to a systolic pressure ≥ 140 mmHg, diastolic pressure ≥ 90 mmHg, or an increase of 30/15 mmHg compared to pre-pregnancy, and the blood pressure elevation should occur at least twice with ≥ 6 hours between measurements. Hypertension in pregnancy can be treated in hospital or at home. Pay attention in life to.
1. Ensure adequate sleep and rest. Generally take the left-sided position and rest for not less than 10 hours. One study found that 24 hours of left lateral recumbency can lower diastolic blood pressure by 10 mmHg.
2. Sedation. Generally no medication is needed. For nervousness, anxiety or poor sleep, sedative drugs can be taken under the guidance of a doctor.
3. Closely monitor the status of mother and child. Pregnant women should pay attention to whether their headache worsens or improves, and whether their vision decreases. Weight and blood pressure should be measured daily and urine protein should be rechecked every two days; blood, fetal development and placental function should be monitored regularly.
4. Intermittent oxygen intake.
5. Strengthen nutrition, eat foods rich in protein, vitamins, iron, calcium, magnesium, selenium, zinc and other trace elements and fresh vegetables and fruits, and reduce the intake of animal fat and excessive salt.
After pregnancy, due to some physiological changes, blood pressure tends to fluctuate and even hypotension syndrome or gestational hypertension syndrome may occur, posing a threat to the health of the pregnant woman and the fetus. Therefore, for women who are preparing to get pregnant, they should start measuring their blood pressure before pregnancy in order to compare the pressure difference before and after pregnancy.
What causes headaches in children
There are many causes of headaches in children, including stuffy rooms, worry, apprehension, fever, and illness. About twenty percent of small children have recurring headaches for which no cause can be found. However, there are many headaches caused by serious illnesses. Some of the common causes of headaches are as follows.
1. Fever, use of certain medications, and metabolic abnormalities can cause constriction and dilation of the blood vessels in the brain, which can lead to headaches.
2 、 Migraine headache.
3 、 Tension headache: It is often caused by long-term mental stimulation such as mental tension, depression, tension between family members and learning difficulties, and is mostly seen in school-age children or teenagers.
4. Brain tumor.
5 、 Meningitis: headache can be produced when the meninges become inflamed and stimulated.
6 、 Problems in other organs of the head, such as sinusitis, glaucoma, eye fatigue, myopia, otitis media, and toothache, may also cause headache.
7. Systemic diseases: In addition to head diseases, systemic diseases such as hypertension, kidney diseases and hypoglycemia can also cause headaches.
8. Emotional reactions, including tension, depression, anxiety and stress, are also common causes of headache.
Performance of headache
1. Acute headache: This is often a sudden and obvious headache, but the pain is only this once and does not recur. The pain can be all over the head or confined to one place, and sometimes itis accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever, nausea, vomiting, etc. Most acute headaches are caused by a certain cause or disease, such as fever, bruises, toothache, meningitis, etc. After the cause is eliminated, the headache also disappears and will not recur in the future.
2. Acute recurrent headache: It is a recurrent headache that occurs again and again, and each time it occurs, it lasts for a few hours to a few days, and the headache can be mild or severe, and sometimes it is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, belly pain and other symptoms. After the headache disappears, there is no more discomfort, but the headache will reappear later.
3. Chronic headache: Chronic headache means that the pain exists every day, but the pain is not serious, it is only vague and uncomfortable every day, and the headache does not get worse. Children with this type of headache are often accompanied by depression, sadness, and other problems, mostly caused by academic stress, interpersonal relationships, or other psychological problems.
No diseases such as brain tumor, brain abscess, or brain hematoma are present.
What are the causes of headaches in the workforce
1, improper diet
Hard cheese or deli meats tend to cause migraines, and certain fruits, yogurt, MSG and freshly baked bread can also trigger headaches.
Ice cream, and other cold foods can cause headaches, which are likely to be related to the sudden cold sensation transmitted to the mouth or throat tissue.
Cheese cheese, chocolate, citrus foods, and marinated sardines, chicken livers, tomatoes, milk, and lactic acid drinks are rich in tyramine, which is a major trigger for blood vessel spasms.
Foods containing nitrites such as sausages, hot dogs, ham, bacon and other cured and smoked meats, processed meats, etc. As well as foods that contain a lot of MSG can cause you migraines.
Low-sugar colas, low-sugar sodas, sugar-free gum, ice cream, multivitamins, and many prescription drugs contain aspartame, a sugar substitute that can overstimulate or interfere with nerve endings, increase muscle tension, and trigger migraines.
Many people take painkillers privately in an attempt to relieve pain, but overdosing on painkillers not only fails to relieve pain, but instead causes drug-induced "rebound headaches," leaving you with chronic migraines.
Caffeine stimulates the nervous system and interferes with sleep, and is addictive when drunk, and can cause migraines when you quit drinking coffee.
All alcoholic beverages can trigger headaches, especially red wine, which contains more headache-inducing chemicals.
Studies have shown that there is a link between headaches and smoking. And the higher the nicotine content of the cigarette, the more frequent the headache will occur.
2. Cervical spine problems
Many office workers, teachers, IT professionals and other white-collar workers get headaches, dizziness, head swelling and other symptoms, which are likely to be related to cervical muscle tension, known as cervical headache.
You may never care how you sit, but there are actually many instances where headaches start or become worse due to poor sitting posture. If you can hold your head up so that your head and body are basically in a straight line, the muscles in all parts of your body will be less likely to get tired. The best solution is to change your posture frequently and take a 3-5 minute break every 45 minutes or so, even if it's just to pour a glass of water and move around a little in the office.
3, closed environment
Office buildings are installed with air conditioning, doors and windows are always closed, forming a closed environment, air does not circulate.
Equipment such as photocopiers, computers and laser printers in use will produce high concentrations of ozone and organic waste gas.
The decorative materials and air conditioning system in the office produce a variety of pollutants.
If the air conditioning unit is not cleaned frequently, it may breed bacteria, mold and viruses, and disease-causing microorganisms enter the office with the air conditioning wind to further cloud the air.
Long-term work in such an environment will inevitably lead to decreased resistance, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and even poor breathing, irregular heart rate, mental disorders and other symptoms.
Pay attention to open windows for ventilation and air conditioners are cleaned regularly. You can use electronic air purifiers, air oxygen ion generators to help purify the air, if possible, it is best to leave the building to a green place for a walk.
4, increased pressure
Most of the modern white-collar workers will have an attack and quite common headache from time to time, especially when the pressure increases is most obvious. This is a common urban disease, medically known as tension headache. A tension headache is usually a pain felt throughout the head and neck, and rarely on one side only. If you can spread out your stress, keep yourself from being too busy, and entertain yourself when you can, it will help you stay away from headaches.
Most white-collar headache problems are caused by excessive mental tension and concentration during working hours. When you have a headache, you can insist on massaging your head more often and the situation will be relieved and the number of headache attacks will be significantly reduced. Bend the index fingers of both hands into a hook shape and rotate both hands clockwise at the same time to rub the temples. Also massage the neck, back and shoulders more often to soothe the muscles in the shoulder and neck position.
5 、 Muscle tension
Tense muscles in the head can also cause headache symptoms, stretching therapy is aimed at relaxing the tense muscles in the head, the first stretching action is the stretching of the neck, chin in turn forward, left, right stretch. The second stretch is the shrug, shrugging the shoulders, moving both shoulders forward and then alternating shrugs backward. Each stretch should last for 5 seconds, then relax for 5 seconds and repeat 3 to 5 times.
These are the causes of white-collar headaches, so what about white-collar headaches? I suggest that you use a towel soaked in hot water on the neck position when you have a headache, which can help relieve muscle tension. If it is a migraine, you can use an ice pack to cold compress the temples to lower the temperature of the blood flowing through this area, which can also relieve the headache.
What are the causes of headaches in women
1, perfume: a significant portion of people with a sensitive sense of smell will have a headache because of the smell of perfume. The strong smell will stimulate the nerve cells in the nose, thus stimulating the nervous system that triggers headaches. These people should avoid perfumes, strong-smelling household cleaning products, soaps, shampoos and air fresheners. "
2. Weather: changes in air pressure, rising temperatures, humidity, lightning and cloudy weather can all lead to headaches. This is because changes in weather conditions cause changes in chemicals and electrical stimulation within the brain, which can lead to nerve stimulation-causing headaches. In fact, 50-60% of people have headaches triggered by changes in the weather. Such patients should keep an eye on the weather forecast and be careful to keep warm.
3. Earrings, headbands and ponytails: Ponytail headaches are caused by a ponytail that is tied too tightly, which can irritate your muscular system. In addition, wearing too tight a hat, headscarf and wearing too heavy earrings are all causes of headaches. Loosening your hair to remove the earrings and changing the position of your ponytail when you get home at night can have a good effect.
4, hunger: low blood sugar can stimulate nerve pathways, thus causing some common headaches, but the exact mechanism is still unclear. Eat foods rich in magnesium (spinach, beans, almonds and seeds) and riboflavin (dairy products, lean meat, green leafy vegetables) can help prevent and reduce headaches.
5, sex: During sex, the cause of headaches is because of the increased pressure on the muscles of the head and neck. You need to do more exercise in general-such as cycling-and stay relaxed during sex.
What causes headaches in the elderly
When people get older, they often get some headaches and blurred vision. Many elderly people, not thinking about it always think that a headache will be fine after a short rest. In fact, there are many reasons why headaches can occur, sometimes due to lack of rest, and sometimes due to diseases. The following experts will explain the diseases that may cause headaches.
Cerebral arteriosclerosis: This disease causes headaches and dizziness when the blood supply to the brain is insufficient. If a person has insufficient blood supply to the brain, he or she will not feel it and will only find it when doing an examination; if it is serious, he or she will have headaches and dizziness; if it is serious, the blood vessels will be occluded and this part of the brain tissue will not be able to supply blood, then it will have serious consequences and even cause brain cell death.
Hypertension and hypotension: these two diseases can also trigger headaches and dizziness. Although the symptoms of hypertension are sometimes not obvious, the damage to blood vessels is long-lasting. It is worth reminding that some people have very low basal blood pressure, usually around 90 mm Hg systolic and 60 mm Hg diastolic, and that these people will experience headaches and dizziness once their systolic pressure exceeds 100 mm Hg. It is crucial for such patients to know their basal blood pressure.
Obesity: The disease can lead to insufficient blood supply to some organs such as the heart and kidneys, resulting in symptoms such as headaches and dizziness.
Hyperlipidemia: Excess nutrients or high blood fats due to metabolic problems can accumulate in the blood vessels. In the long run, the accumulated grease will grease the blood vessels, and the blood and nutrients flowing in the vessels will be reduced, which will lead to symptoms such as headache and dizziness, and some people will also have symptoms such as drowsiness and weakness, dozing all day, and memory loss.
Cervical spondylosis: The incidence of this disease is also high. Some patients say that they sleep well at night, but end up dizzy when they turn over, and others get up dizzy in the morning, and these may be caused by cervical spondylosis.
After reading the introduction of several diseases above, you must pay attention to them. If you have a prolonged headache and it does not get better after rest, you must go to the hospital for examination so that you can prevent the aggravation of the disease caused by untimely detection of the disease. Any disease should be detected and treated as early as possible. I hope to recover soon.
What are the causes of postpartum headache?
After giving birth, too much blood loss, insufficient qi and blood, blood does not nourish the brain, or body weakness and cold, cold evil guest brain, or blood stasis, blocking the brain complex and caused.
1 、 Blood deficiency After delivery, excessive blood loss, lack of qi and blood, brain marrow is empty, blood does not nourish the brain, resulting in headache.
2 、 Blood stasis After delivery, malignant dew does not stop, stagnant blood rushes upward, brain complexes are blocked, blood flow is not smooth, resulting in headache.
3, cold evil After childbirth, the rest is not appropriate, the wind is cold, cold evil guest brain and headache.
Western medicine believes that it is likely to be caused by the change of hormone secretion level. Another possibility is that if epidural labor analgesia or spinal puncture is used during delivery, it may also cause severe headache.
I. Clinical manifestations
This disease is characterized by a postpartum condition in which headache is the main symptom. Different types of evidence in TCM will have different secondary symptoms manifested.
1. Blood deficiency Excessive blood loss after childbirth, empty headache, dizziness, atrophy, palpitation and weakness. Thin coating, pale tongue and weak pulse.
2 、 Blood stasis Postpartum headache like crackling, or unbearable stabbing pain, poor flow of dew, abdominal distension and pain and refusal to press. Thin moss, dull purple tongue, stringent and astringent pulse.
3 、 Cold evil Cold pain in the head and forehead after childbirth, reduced by heat, low amount of meconium, dull purple color. Thin white fur and stringent pulse.
Differential diagnosis
Postpartum headache should be alert to cerebral venous thrombosis, which mostly occurs in cesarean delivery, hemorrhage during labor and high-risk mothers; mostly occurs within 1 week after delivery, often appearing 1 week after delivery, with heavy clinical symptoms, often starting with severe headache, nausea and vomiting, rapidly appearing mental and consciousness disorders, and brain herniation and death if the diagnosis and treatment are not timely; high incidence of cerebral hemorrhage, epilepsy and neurological dysfunction incidence is higher than in non-postpartum patients; imaging mostly shows extensive thrombosis.
Treatment of headache includes both pharmacological and non-pharmacological physical therapy. Treatment principles include both symptomatic management and treatment of the primary cause. Acute attacks of primary headache and secondary headache whose etiology cannot be immediately corrected can be treated with symptomatic treatment such as analgesia to terminate or reduce the symptoms of headache, and appropriate symptomatic treatment can be given for the accompanying symptoms of headache such as vertigo and vomiting. For secondary headache with a clear cause, the cause should be removed as soon as possible, such as anti-infection treatment for intracranial infection, dehydration to lower cranial pressure for intracranial hypertension, and surgical removal of intracranial tumors.
Drug treatment
Analgesic drugs include: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics, central analgesics and narcotic analgesics. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers are the most commonly used painkillers for headache because they have the advantages of precise efficacy and no addiction, including aspirin, ibuprofen, anti-inflammatory pain, paracetamol, pautazone, rofecoxib and celecoxib. Tramadol as the representative of central painkillers, belongs to the second class of psychotropic drugs, non-narcotic painkillers, the pain relief effect is stronger than the general antipyretic painkillers, mainly used for moderate and severe degree of headache and various post-operative and cancerous lesion pain, etc. Narcotic painkillers, represented by opioids such as morphine and dulcolax, have the strongest pain-relieving effect, but long-term use can lead to addiction. These drugs are only used for patients with advanced cancer. In addition to these, there are some herbal compound headache painkillers, which are helpful in relieving and preventing headaches.
Non-pharmacological physiotherapy
Non-pharmacological physiotherapy for headache includes: physical magnetic therapy, local cold (hot) compresses, oxygen absorption, etc. Appropriate treatment should be given to those with recurrent headaches to control frequent headache attacks.
Prevention
Prevention and treatment of headache should reduce all possible causes of headache, including avoiding soft tissue injury to the head and neck, infection, avoiding contact with and intake of irritating food, avoiding mood swings, etc. It should also diagnose and treat primary diseases secondary to headache in a timely manner. Sedatives, antiepileptic drugs and tricyclic antidepressants are effective in preventing primary headache attacks such as migraine and tension headache.
Care
Headache patients should reduce pain-inducing foods such as chocolate, cheese, wine, coffee, and tea. Also taste diet should be light, avoid spicy and stimulating, raw and cold foods, and foods such as ham, dried cheese and long-preserved game should be forbidden during headache attacks.
10 tips to stop headache quickly
1. Drink more water
Dehydration is one of the most common causes of headaches. It is recommended to drink more plain water or fresh fruit juice and avoid caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee.
2. Head massage
Gently rotate and massage the headache area with your index finger and/or thumb to relax the muscles and improve blood circulation. Release your hand after 7-15 seconds of pressure. The action can be repeated if necessary.
3. Regular meals and balanced diet
Lack of timely meals and partial eating may lead to hypoglycemia, which in turn may cause headaches.
4. Don't put your pillow too high
Lack of sleep or poor sleep quality can lead to headaches. Generally speaking, it is important to get 6-8 hours of quality sleep each night. However, it is important to note that the pillow should not be too high when sleeping.
5. Close your eyes to rest
Sit in a room with low light and close your eyes for a moment to relax tension and pressure on your back, neck and shoulders. Avoid arching your back or deliberately straighten your body and other postures.
6. Hot water for the back
When showering, let the hot water directly hit the head, neck and back, can relieve muscle tension in the head and neck, so that the blood flow more smoothly.
7. Laugh
Laughing has a therapeutic effect on minor headaches. More laughter can make the brain release more euphoric hormone endorphins, which help relieve pain.
8. Listen to music
During a headache, listening to your favorite music can help relieve stress. Also, closing your eyes and thinking about happy things can have the same effect.
9. Breathe fresh air
Deep breathing exercises can help relieve headaches. Taking deep breaths in fresh air is a more effective natural remedy for headaches.
10. "Go outside" for 5 minutes
Get out of a stressful situation and go for a walk, or take a few minutes to shift your attention to something else that will help you relax. "Going out for 5 minutes is a quick and easy home remedy to reduce stress and relieve headaches.
Conclusion:If you don't see it, you will be shocked to see that there are so many causes of headaches, and headaches can also lead to more diseases, so in life we find the symptoms of headaches should not be ignored, to get timely treatment to avoid greater problems, in the diet should also be adjusted to solve the headache as soon as possible.